1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image formation apparatus which has a function of relay paper feeding that, when there occurs out-of-paper in a paper feed tray, selects another paper feed tray for paper feeding to continue the printing, and a method therefor, and particularly relates to an image formation apparatus which, at the time of paper feed tray selection in the relay paper feeding, selects the paper feed tray having the earliest date of paper addition to continue the printing, thus preventing old paper from being left over at the bottom of the paper feed tray, and a method therefor.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the field of printing, if an instruction for producing a large number of copies as a printing job is given, the image formation apparatus which is a printing apparatus requires a large quantity of paper in order to produce the specified number of copies.
However, the number of pieces of paper that can be accommodated in the paper feed tray in an image formation apparatus is limited, and thus when, during printing, there occurs out-of-paper in the paper feed tray in service, paper had to be manually added in the emptied paper feed tray for resuming the printing.
Then, in order to address the time-consuming problem that paper has to be manually added, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-92831 has proposed a cut-paper printer which includes two paper feed trays, and when out-of-paper has been detected in one paper feed tray, automatically changes over paper feed tray in operation to another one, whereby the need for interrupting the printing due to out-of-paper is eliminated.
However, in the relay paper feeding, in which, after out-of-paper having been caused in a paper feed tray, another paper feed tray is used for paper feeding, the sequence of changing over paper feed tray is fixed, and in order to prevent out-of-paper from being caused, paper is added to the paper feed tray for use in the subsequent paper feeding, thus there has occurred a problem that, at the bottom of a paper feed tray, old paper which has long been not used is left over.
In order to address the problem that old paper is left over, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-312871 has proposed a printer with which the date of paper accommodation is recorded on the paper feed tray as information about paper, and in accordance with the priority of use that has been set for the paper feed trays on the basis of the date of paper accommodation, the paper feed tray is selected for printing, such that no old paper is left over.
In addition, Japanese Patent No. 2838132 has proposed a facsimile apparatus which is configured to feed paper from the bottom of the paper tray for printing such that no old paper is left over.
Thus, inventions which prevent old paper from being left over at the bottom of the paper feed tray have been proposed, however, the invention of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-312871 has presented a problem that, in order to store the information about the date of paper accommodation, there is the need for incorporating a clock equipped with a backup power supply, resulting in the cost being increased.
In addition, with the invention of Japanese Patent No. 2838132, a new mechanism for feeding paper from the bottom is required, and this mechanism is not popular, which has presented quality and cost problems.